Local company fixes school vandal's damage for free

Jack Marshall

A teacher at a school in Colne has thanked a local horticultural company for repairing the school's polytunnel after vandals damaged the brand-new outdoor classroom.

Lord Street Primary School's polytunnel - a polythene greenhouse to be used by the children to grow plants and learn about horticulture - was erected in March before being targeted by a mindless culprit, who broke into the premises over the Easter holidays and seemed to have punched holes in the material.

The school's polytunnel prior to the act of vandalism.

After catching wind of the incident, Colne-based Northern Polytunnels fixed the damage for free, getting the school's redevelopment project back on track, with Assistant Headteacher, Hannah Hutchinson, calling them "brilliant."

Keen to get the children into the practical side of education and offering them the chance to try their hands at some green-fingered fun, the school had applied for grants to enhance their facilities by renovating their field and installing the polytunnel, with fundraising efforts spearheaded by Carole England, whose grandson is in Year 2 at the school.

"She moved the whole project along, giving up so much time," said Hannah of Carole. "She's really interested in getting the children into growing things; I can't thank her enough!

"We had a big day when children and parents helped out when the polytunnel was installed by Northern Polytunnels as part of the preparation for the new outdoor classroom," Hannah added. "Eventually, we'll be growing crops, plants, and flowers and having groups over there."

Having gained access to the school field via a less substantial area of the fence, the vandals, according to Hannah, "ripped and damaged" the polytunnel, which had yet not even been used by the children due to the ongoing renovation work.

"We're aware that we're not immune [to vandalism] but it was just really sad," Hannah said. “But Northern Polytunnels were brilliant; Andrew Robinson came back out and gave us a free replacement cover.”